The idea of opening a farm stay on your homestead may seem daunting, but there are many benefits to doing so. Farm stays provide a unique opportunity for guests to connect with the land and learn about sustainable living practices. In addition, farm stays can either generate extra income or extra farm hands for your homestead. Adding RV hook-ups to your homestead is a relatively low-cost way to get started.
If you are thinking about starting a farm stay, there are a few things you need to do first.
First things first, you need to decide on your goals.Do you want to get general help, finish a project, make money, teach your skills, or make friends? This will help you decide if you want to have a farm work exchange or a farm stay rental.
- A farm work exchange is where people stay on your farm in exchange for helping you with your chores or to complete a project. These people are looking to for free or nearly free lodging while gaining valuable skills.
- A farm stay is more like Airbnb for RVs. This is where your customers pay you to stay at your farm, and they might help with your chores a little for fun. These people are looking for a farm style vacation experience.
Secondly, you will need a good vetting and booking process.
Do you want your guests to be couples, families, or singles? You will want to do a background and get character references on guests if they are going to stay at your homestead for a while. You could do this yourself or use a company like Airbnb, Hip camp or Wwoofers.
Third, you need to prep your land to host RVs(hint: it's not as hard as it sounds)
- Flat area to park a RV – a graveled area is best.
- RV hook-ups – Offering water, and electrical outlets is not mandatory, but it may help attract your RV campers for longer stays. Sewer hookup is also nice, but not required for all RVs.
- Check permits and insurance requirements.
The cost of adding a RV hookups according to RVBlogger.com:
- RV Water Hookups – From $20 if you do it yourself to $750 if you hire a plumber
- RV Electrical Hookups – From $100 if you do it yourself to $1200 if you hire an electrician
- RV Sewer Hookups – From $0 if you can hook up to your existing sewer or septic system to $3500 or more if you have a sewer tank installed.
TIP: Start small (an extension cord and a hose) and add more amenities as you start making a profit.
If you are looking to add a little “extra” to your farm stay, you might want to add something from our Glampers Wish List:
- Fire pit or grill
- Drinking water
- Toilet and shower
- Pets allowed
- Wi-Fi
- Picnic table
TIP: By adding a few comforts from home, you can justify a higher nightly rate.
Starting a RV farm stay on your homestead can be a great way to grow your homestead with either more money or a little extra help. By following the tips in this article, you can get started on your own RV farm stay business. With a little bit of planning and some elbow grease, you can make your dream of running a farm stay a reality.